The Great Confrence
by smartcheer917
Summary: It’s kind of incredible in the short moments between other moments that important things tend to happen. 3 years ago the war ended. To save the world from a new chaos is to go to the heart of the problem. Zutara. R
1. Preface

_The Great Conference_

_By: smarcheer917_

**Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender.**

* * *

In times of war there are no rules.

People try and put a restraint on what will happen. They try and say these are the rules of war. Unfortunately, like parley, they are small suggestions.

The same rule translates with love.

Many think that love would be the opposite of war, but they are the same thing, just arranged differently, like compounds with the same materials, but constructed differently. They could create two completely different materials, but they are the same essentially.

In the great war these two facts transcend into the story of our characters, and our characters lives after the storm has passed and they have to cleat the mess on their own wobbly two feet.

* * *

Aang swung his airbending left towards the Fire Lord. The Elder man dodged and threw a lighting bolt in the avatar's direction.

Aang met him with an equally powerful bolt.

Zuko threw his own bolt towards his sister.

Azula met him with one of equal force.

A large collision.

A large explosion.

When the smoke cleared, only 2 people remained standing.

* * *

_This is the start to a new story. the new chapter will be up soon. its done, just needs some editing. please please please don't push this story off. its future set, and nothing will actually happen until chapter 5. until then its just kind of introductions and background material._

_Review?_


	2. Chapter 2

_The Great Conference_

_By: smarcheer917_

**Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender**

* * *

In the years immediately following the war much of the world was in chaos and debut. The Fire Nation barely managed to stand on its own feet.

After Ozai fell and Azula was killed almost all the nobles fled for the countryside. The workers of the Fire Nation towns invaded the palace and took over the government, they happened to be led by the remaining nobles who had been conspiring against Ozai anyway. As they placed more value on keeping the monarchy then starting a whole new type of government, they placed the worthiest person they could think of on the thrown. Not the first person to disobey Ozai but the most remembered. The person who walked among them for months and who lived like they did.

They placed Zuko on the throne.

After this occurred nobles came out of the woodwork. Nobles who were thought to have committed suicide turned up with the end of an era and the start of peaceful times. The first thing he did was appoint his best friend from childhood that had been put away by Ozai for showing defiance at an early age to him and his ideas, as well as looking like a threat to Azula's amazing abilities, as his head body guard and co-secondary advisor. His first advisor was Iroh.

Unlike what most people thought, Ozai had known the end was coming. In his last two months as Fire Lord, he allowed the nation to fall into a state of utter chaos so that whoever had to clean it up would surely go mad.

The first year was chaotic. The nations all met along with the avatar for a short conference where they drew up a treaty just stating that all the fighting was to stop until a real meeting could be instead once the nations were all stable. That's all. No reparations. No war guilt. No land to be returned. Just that the fighting was to stop. Troops were gradually withdrawn from stations not in conquered lands and sent to their homes and their families. Once returning home, Zuko had a pile of work to sort through that was catastrophic.

The Earth Kingdom fared better off, but not by much.

With Kuei only on the thrown for such a short time he was already lost. He had no idea what to do. With the end of the war came a million of other responsibilities. Long-Feng had kept the economy under control, but with his beheading in a riot following the end of the war and an accidental raid of the jails it melted itself to the ground. The fighting had to be stopped between the people who were there now, and have always been there.

Of all the nations, the Water Nations fared the best. They were not affected much by the war other than the loss of most of the southern water tribe. The remains of the tribe and the new arrivals from the Earth Kingdom and Northern tribe made the microscopic village grow into a small village very quickly. The Water Tribes held the most hate of the two nations, and this made it difficult.

The war ended 3 years ago to date, and this is where we find our characters.

* * *

Fire Lord Zuko held his head high as he stepped off the boat into the outer desert-land of Ba-Sing-Se with his body guard at his side. The pair loaded into an ostrich drawn carriage sent by the avatar to take them to the Earth Palace. Zuko watched out the window at they approached the great wall. He felt a hand on his knee.

"Don't worry," Haya said, "It'll be fine."

"Haya, they hate me by association."

"Well they're missing out." Haya said, "It'll be fine." She gave him a rare, soft smile. Zuko looked away and Haya withdrew.

* * *

"I don't know," Sokka said as the crew shuffled nervously around the boat in the last 10 minutes before docking. "How do we know that Zuko won't pull something? He's done it before. Remember Ba-Sing-Se?"

"Yes, of course I remember. We'll need to keep our eyes on him and that's all. He didn't pull anything at the first meeting."

"Because it was all of us versus him. He didn't stand a chance. Now he has some of his guards and advisors."

"You just seem unconfident in our abilities." She told him. He huffed and looked away. The captain of the ship came down from the steering room.  
"My Lord and Lady, we have docked in Ba-Sing-Se. A train car has been readied for your decent to the palace."

"Thank you for the ride." Katara said

"My pleasure." The captain commented.

* * *

Everything is in place for our stay at the palace, my lord." Haya said and bowed slightly to him as he stood at the door of the train, waiting for it to come to a halt. He nodded and she moved to his side.

"I suggest we stick to indoors and away from windows and streams. I don't want any accidents."

"On your watch?"

"My eyes can be everywhere, but my arms can't." He smirked.

"I can handle myself." He said. She nodded and stepped back. The train came to a halt.

* * *

"Welcome!" Kuei said as Katara and Sokka stepped off their train and onto the palace grounds, "Your rooms are ready and Ju Dee will show you where to go." Sokka looked horrified and Katara smiled politely.

"Thank you, your majesty, for your hospitality." He nodded and wandered off to do whatever he needed to do. A Ju Dee appeared, less scary smiley than before.  
"I am Ju Dee, I will show you where your rooms will be." She turned and started walking. Sokka and Katara followed.

"Your room is near the avatar, Lord Sokka." Sokka did his 'Water Tribe' representation. Katara rolled her eyes.

"You room was slightly more difficult to find. The only room near the avatars was a rather dry one. Seeing as you were a water bender, the King said you should be placed near the water. Your room is on the opposite side of the guest wings, next to the gardens and the fountains."

"That sounds okay..." Katara said, following the woman's high pace with some difficulty. While walking was easier here it wasn't exactly faster since she tended to scuttle across the floor ungracefully, thanks to spending the majority of her life trudging through snow. They were led down countless hallways, all decorated with beautiful green tapestries pulled back to allow the lushness of the plants grown in the walls to be seen and to get light. She stopped in front of a door in an obvious warm area.

"Lord Sokka, your suite. Dinner is when the gong will sound, you will find a map here to lead you there." Sokka nodded smugly and opened the door to his room. Katara didn't even bother to look in. The woman turned again and started to march down the halls again. Katara followed. She could see, even from behind, the slight cringe from the woman about her appearance. She had been expecting that. She was a warrior, not a noble woman no matter what they called her. She knew enough to get her by when she needed to, but she found no need to bother at the moment. The woman's obvious distaste made her want to be more inappropriate, but she behaved. It wasn't worth all the gossip that would come of it.

The woman continued her hurried walk across the floor. Katara followed closely behind. They stopped in front of another door, this one automatically feeling cooler in appearance. She could feel the water that was said to be near. A small smile came to her face at this. She did like to be near water.

"This will be your room" She said, "Dinner tonight will be informal seeing as we are not expecting all of our guests until tomorrow. If you choose not to attend tonight's dinner breakfast is at the sound of the gong." The Ju Dee bowed and left Katara in front of a door. She shook her head and pushed it open.

Inside was an amazingly beautiful room. It wasn't a suite, not like she had a need for one as no one would be in her room except for her brother, Toph and Aang all things considered. The large, rectangular windows without glass led to a fair sized garden. Green curtains hung from the tops of the windows to the ground. The floor was stoned over entirely for another foot out into the garden. A large pond was bubbling near her window. The bed was huge, and the adjoining bathroom was too much.She sighed and walked over to the bed, flopping down onto it.

"Maybe I'll just take a quick nap." She mumbled into the comforter. She was asleep in moments

* * *

Zuko sighed as he looked around his suite. It was near water (he was almost positive this was a precaution because they were firebenders, but it was ridiculous because they had more control over it then they were thought to) Everything was green, surprisingly, and the windows were left open for the dry air to flow. It was much different then the humid air that surrounded most of the Fire Nation. He shook his head and swung moved into his bedroom. His suite consisted of a sitting room, a bedroom, and a bathroom. It was large, but nothing compared to the open ground the Fire palace was set on. Then again, the also built up here while in the Fire nation they did not, as it was more or a fire hazard. He shook his head and turned around as Haya came into the room.

"They will not allow me any say in their guard positioning. I tried to suggest something more efficient to that drone and she would not allow me another word."

"Haya, if you let them think that they're right they'll hate us less." Yabou said, entering behind her, his other secondary advisor.

"And I should compromise our safety over that? What makes you think more riots will not break out?" Haya said, spinning neatly on her heal to face him. Zuko rubbed him fingers to his temples.  
"Its been 3 years! And if something was to happen, do you really think that with all the benders here we would not be able to handle it? We're fighters, not comfy livers."

"Could you two not argue while we're here? If anything that will make us think we are as barbaric as my fathers generals"

"We know." The two answered simultaneously. Zuko shook his head and began pacing.

"What's the agenda?" He asked the two.

"They were not expecting us to arrive so early," Haya said, "Apparently some Southern earth Kingdom villages haven't shown up yet, but have shown message that they should arrive by mid-day tomorrow. Tonight is an informal dinner, kind of a very light meet and greet without the pressures of extreme formality like tomorrow nights opening ball. We can skip if you like."

"I highly recommend we go. Skipping appears rude." Yabou said.

"I agree." Haya said. Zuko raised his eyebrows and shook his head

"You two never cease to amaze me." He said.

"I suggest you take a nap, my lord. We wouldn't want you dozing off during dinner tonight." Yabou said in a concerned voice.

"You both are dismissed. Go down on your own tonight and I'll meet you there."

"Yes my lord." They said in unison and exited the room. Zuko flopped down onto his bed.

Sharing a small, enclosed space with those two for 8 days had been pure torture. They never stopped arguing. On the rare occasion they did its usually ended with another fight. It was the exact reason that he had made them both his secondary advisors. He needed a just opinion. By taking the liberal and the conservative views and deliberating from there he could make the best decision for the nation. If not that, they both completed each other. Haya was brilliant at various types of math and fighting and science. Ways to make money was one of her best qualities, right next to being extremely stubborn for her terms. Yabou could convince a cat to swim. Every detail of history was stored in his mind. He had originally wanted to be a doctor, but he wanted nothing to do with fighting and doctors were often sent overseas into battle to treat the wounded.

"I'll just close my eyes for a minute" He said. In minutes he was asleep.

* * *

_So this is the first chapter. Well first real chapter. I'm going to let the automatic labels do what they want unless I want something different. Occasionally there will be little filler stores that come in at completely random and/or suspenseful times. Old tales for the area, that kind of stuff. _

_Let me know what you think? Review?_


	3. Chapter 3

_T__he Great Conference_

_By: smarcheer917_

**Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbdener**

* * *

A large, long vibrating sound that made the bottom of his shoes dance by them selves woke him up. And he was not happy. Especially because the first thing he laid eyes on was the floor he had just fallen onto. Zuko picked himself up and stretched. He had needed a nap. He changed out his traveling cloths for some simple trousers and a shirt accessorized with his crown. He wore some simple sturdy shoes and checked to make sure he didn't have a large red mark across his cheek from sleeping before heading out. He found the dining hall easily by following the signs.

The room was endlessly green, but it was shown that an effort to make it less formal and intimidating was made. Several small round tables were around the room. A large table with room was pushed up against one wall, a stack of plates at the end f the row. He found the table with his advisors and generals easily, as almost everyone in the room was in some shade of green or blue except for their small congregation of 4 tables. Haya immediately rose to meet him, bowing slightly before she started talking.

"Some of the men have slipped out on us, my lord, insisting that they wanted a training session that wasn't on a moving platform apparently. Yabou let them go." She said quickly. I glanced down at what she was wearing.

"Could you have worn something with a higher neck?" Zuko asked, looking over at the neckline on Haya's dress. It did not show that much, but it sparked the imagination a little more than it needed to.

"That is what I said, my lord," Yabou said coming up next to her. Haya bit her lip and didn't say anything.

"Here, my lord. Have a seat." He said and pulled out a chair in between the two of them, "I will get the both of you food."

* * *

Katara cocked her head to the side as she studied the dish in front of her.

"Okay, its either a mutated fish form that village we visited..."

"Or something entirely random that the cooks came up with," Aang said, finishing her sentence as he walked behind her to the salad. Katara smiled.

"I'll see you at the table," He said. Katara continued to look at the food. It looked good, but what if it had something really gross in it like eyeballs? And if she just took a little and it was completely disgusting she didn't want to spit it out onto someone. She heard a loud clanking and looked up. A good looking male was standing in front her, three plates on his pale brown sleeve.

"You're gonna drop that." She pointed out to him, smiling. He grinned.

"Highly unlikely." He said and picked up some of the stuff.

"Do you... uh..." She said, not sure now to ask what that thing in front of her was.

"Know what this is?" He said, grinning, "It squid-crab, cut up in strange ways and fried in pepper oils. I take it you don't attend many formal dinners?" She blinked for a second, was that a hidden insult? He raised his own eyebrows at this statement.

"Sorry, I'm used to being around my partner," he stuck his hand out that was attached to the dishes, "I'm Yabou."

"I'm Katara." She said, sticking her hand out to meet his. He grinned.

"Nice to meet you, Katara." He moved onto the next round of food. She watched him as he walked away, trying to see if she knew anybody that he knew. He face fell.

Oh, and did she know someone he knew.

* * *

"Dig in," Yabou said as he put the plates in front of Zuko and Haya.

"Who was that girl you were talking to?" Haya said.

"Jealous?"

"No," Haya sneered, "I just don't think you should get your hopes up."

"Please, did you see the way she looked at me? She was infatuated. Not that I minded. She wasn't that bad herself."

"She probably didn't know you were Fire Nation."

"People shouldn't just look at the surface."

"Which is why I can wear this dress!" Zuko shook his head.

"Didn't we talk about this earlier?" He asked. The two stopped talking and looked down at their meals. Zuko ate his carefully, not wanting to shovel. It was good, and he was hungry so this took a good amount of effort. Haya finished first, as always, and sat up.

"Well, I think it would do wonders for our image if we danced." She said.

"Well, considering you _are_ the only female here form our nation, that might be difficult." Yabou

"Oh foo, they can dance with Earth kingdom woman, can't they?" Haya said and sat back. Yabou looked to the side.

"You really think they'll trust us?"

"Please, they are obviously trying their hardest to be as hospitable as possible." She lifted her wine glass and took a sip, "Refusing something as simple as a dance would make them look horrible at their relations." Yabou stood up.

"Well I'm not getting stuck with some random girl."

"You were just flirting with one."

"Flirting, not dancing." Haya rolled her eyes. Yabou put his hand out to her. She eyed him suspiciously.

"You better not smash my feet." She said, putting her hand in his. He smiled as she rose and the two walked out to the dance floor. Zuko shook his head. They always surprised him, and this was exactly why he needed them.

* * *

"May I have this dance?" Yet another ambassador asked Katara. And, with an extremely large diplomatic smile on her face, she accepts. Again. Not allowing her face to mind that they were almost all as uncoordinated as anything. There wasn't even a comparison for it. They were that bad.

Another step (and she knew it was coming, that part in the song was coming), and her toes would fall off. She spotted a bit of black hair above the man's hair she was dancing with. They turned sideways.

It was that guy from the buffet. The Fire Nation one. She felt her eyes instinctually narrow slightly, using all her might to keep them that far open.

"Excuse me, but I was wondering if I could steal this amazing young bender away from you for a few dances?" He said. The ambassador eyed him suspiciously, but stepped back and allowed him too. He smiled and stepped forward, placing his hand in hers. His hand was warm. She forced the smile onto her face with more effort than usual. They started to dance, and she waited for the pain to seep into her toes. It didn't.

"I know you expect me to dance poorly, but Fire Bending is too much like dancing to be bad at it." He said, grinning at her. He allowed herself to scowl.

"I wasn't expecting it." He laughed.

"Yes you were. I've danced with Earth Kingdom ambassadors before. They are almost always terrible dancers."

"Why would you be dancing with an Earth Kingdom ambassador?" She asked curiously.

"You'll just have to get to know me better to find out that little tidbit." She huffed, "And I expect you will. After all, we are all working for the same goal here." She didn't have a response.

* * *

"It's kind of a funny story, actually. We were walking and there it was! A nice, adorable little moose-lion cub! Just sitting there in the middle of the hallway!" Haya exclaimed as she laughed with a couple of generals. Zuko moved to her side.

"Where's Yabou?" He whispered in her ear.

"He went off on a conquest for that Water Tribe woman he was flirting with earlier." Haya whispered back quickly, "So then we took it to the forest, to set it free. After all it would be foolish to keep the thing!" Zuko shook his head and slipped away. He spotted the two and moved in on them quietly, he needed to talk to Yabou about the Southern Provinces. He already knew that Haya thought that they should remain in the hands of the settlers and allow the settlers to choose where they wanted to be, but this wasn't solid enough for him to make an argument without suspicion.

"Ah, Fire Lord. I see you've come to steal this lovely woman away from me! I shall oblige, as I need to speak wiht my partner about something private." Yabou said, acknowledging him  
"Actually, I need to talk with..."

"Nonsense! This is a party! Fair lady, I bid you goodbye." Yabou said, bowing to the woman, then to Zuko, before bolting out in the direction of Haya. Zuko looked awkwardly to the side. He put his hand out. Katara looked uneasy, but reached for his hand anyway. Her hand was so chilly. They started to dance. The tension between them could be cut with a knife.

"You look good." Zuko finally said. Might as well start out with a compliment. Katara glared at him.

"You look arrogant." She said

"At least I'm trying to be nice." Zuko complained and twirled her.

"Why should you even bother? We all know you're not." She snapped through smiling teeth.

"We're all on the same team here," He mimicked her actions.

"And how do we know that's not going to change?"

"Because I'm not 16 and confused?"

"Are you saying the Aang incompetent because he's 16?"

"No, I'm saying that when I was 16 I was extremely confused and lost. He's got the entire spirit world working on his side. I think he's gonna have a pretty clear mindset." Zuko said and dipped her. Katara took a step back.

"Well I think all the ego in this room has worn me out. I'm going to bed," She said and turned and walked away angrily. She was surprised she left without hitting him. Katara couldn't believe that actually he practically killed her and broke her trust he was still trying to say he was good. She read though it. She read through it real good. The only reason she hadn't hurt him was because of Aang and his impossible belief that Zuko was actually here for good.

Ha! As if Zuko would do something for good.

* * *

Zuko sat on his bed and rubbed his temples. The outside beauty that was next to his window did nothing to relax him. He just couldn't... unwind. He couldn't bring himself to relax, and he had no idea why. Putting his elbows to his thighs and his head in his hands he started at the floor. Then came a knock on the door, and the sound of it opening. At this hour, it could only be one person. The weight on the bed shifted slightly and a hand found its way to his back.

"You seemed overly tense when we came back. I was wondering how you were doing." Haya said.

"Why do you smell like Yabou?" Zuko asked. Keeping the conversation away form him and his feelings as the only goal here. Haya stiffened beside him.

"Maybe you're just tired, your senses are on haywire and its making you tense. Take a shower... if they have it, and go to sleep. Do you want to train tomorrow morning?" She asked. She was so much softer when Yabou wasn't around.

"Yes. We can't let ourselves go dank. We'll start at an hour after sunrise." He still didn't move from his previous position of his head in his hands.

"I'll tell Yabou." She said and rose, leaving the room swiftly. Zuko flopped back onto his bed. Maybe a shower would help.

* * *

_Thanks for all the reviews, guys. I promise this will get going soon. I have the next chapter done, but the chapter after that is kinda hard. It's got action (spoiler!) and I'm really awkward at action._

_Review?_

* * *


	4. Chapter 4

_The Great Conference_

_By: smartcheer917_

**Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender**

* * *

Mornings are always the best time of day in the Earth Kingdom.

The Fire Nation has its days, where you can almost touch the sun to your fingertips. The Water Tribes have the beautiful nights lit by the moon. The Air Temples have the most spectacular twilights, the colors all bouncing off of one another and the clouds. For some reason, the mornings just happen there. No beauty. But in the Earth Kingdom, the mornings are filled with lovely pinks and pastels and it's just beautiful. With the birds singing and just the right amount of sunlight pouring into every room its just one of the most amazing things ever experienced. It was one of the things that Katara loved most when they traveled in the Earth Kingdom, and didn't even realize it until she traveled the Fire Nation and returned to the Water Tribe.

This is why, when an extremely loud thud and a round of profanities woke her up that morning she was less than happy.

Katara jumped out of her bed to see what fell. She looked down on a grinning Yabou on his back with half his torso on the beam and half on the ground..

"Fancy seeing you here, Lady Katara." Yabou said, his eha don the ground.

"We're not done yet!" A woman around Sokka's age said, barreling forward towards Yabou. When she saw Katara she took a step back and bowed.

"My Lady, forgive us for awakening at this early hour. We will try to be more quite." Katara looked over behind her and saw Zuko, looking a tad bit awkward by himself in the gardens. Well, as awkward as a muscular world leader could look.

"Maybe the Lady would like to join us." Yabou said, pulling himself up, "I think she could withstand one of your beatings Haya." He received a glare from Haya.

"I am not that cruel. Only to you." She looked over at Katara, "If you should like to join us, you are welcome. We are simply conditioning today. No need for real training in times of peace, but always good to keep the mind sharp."

"Don't you mean body?" Katara asked.  
"You're only as good as you think you are." Haya said, "Yabou, get back over there. The invitation stands." She said and turned her heal and walked away. Yabou grinned slightly and hurried after Haya. Katara shook her head. Maybe it would be fun to train with actual master benders for once.

* * *

"Not Fun." Katara said as she flopped onto her bed later on. If that was just conditioning she never intended to find out what the real training took. She was sore all over. She could water-heal herself, but that would take effort. Effort that, at the moment, she was lacking. She heard a knock on her door, "Come in," she called. Yabou entered her room.

"I thought you might want a walking heating pad." He said happily. She glared at him.

"Don't you have some innocent children to maim?" She asked. He flinched a little.

"Try to be nice to a person, jeez. Just so you know Haya likes you." Katara snorted.

"That's why she turned me to stone."  
"Compared to what she usually can do in a conditioning session that was a baby step. She took it easy. Not because she doesn't think you can handle it, but because she doesn't want you to hurt. She wants to be on your good side."  
"Where did she even learn all of that?"

"She's been allot of places." Yabou's face darkened momentarily before turning back to the grinning idiot he always seemed to be, "Well since you don't need a heating pad I guess I'll have to find some children to maim. I'll see you at 1 hour past midday.

* * *

"Why are you such a flirt? This isn't the Fire Nation! These people are looking for ways to make us look bad."

"Oh, I don't think she will."

"Well I do,"

"And here I thought you liked her,"

"My feelings for her aside, the hate she feels for us is not going to be good if you're flirting every minute of every day,"

"Maybe it will make it better!"

"It will make it worse."

"Lets not talk about Katara." Zuko said, leaving his eyes closed in meditation. He wasn't really getting anywhere with these two arguing, "I'm trying to meditate."

Everywhere he looked she was. Everything he thought, she was there. Even his two most trusted advisors, a tad bit dimwitted but still brilliant in their own right, were talking about her. He just couldn't get away.

* * *

"I thought that lunch would best take place on the balcony. " Kuei said as he gestured to the city beneath, "It gives a fair view of the city, both the good and that bad. It's a reminder of what we're here for. Not to avenge the death of others. Not to prove ourselves worth, but to make sure that the people of the world can live on in a time of peace." The people clapped. Katara heard Sokka grown beside her.

"This Water Tribe gear is so hot..." he groaned

"Well its not like they made it for hot days in Ba-Sing-Se." Katara pointed out. Sokka groaned again then smiled as a servant placed food in front of him. Katara rolled her eyes. Food always shut her brother up. Friendly chatter filled the space. Katara shot a glance over at the Fire Nation's tables. They looked oddly silent, still, like stone. Unresponsive. Katara shook her head.

"They're never going to change." She said

"I think we should try and squeeze some land out of them." Sokka said, mouthful of food.

"You know we're at a public event?" Katara said in horror and sarcasm as her brother shoveled the food into his mouth.

"So?" Katara rolled her eyes.

"Snoozles stop embarrassing us." Toph said and put some food in her mouth almost daintily, "We need to talk business with these people, so we can't be overbearing _yet_." Sokka blinked in surprise at her, then slowed his pace.

"_Fine,_ but I better get to be mean in debate."

"You'll get your chance."

* * *

"Completely ridiculous." Yabou said as he looked at the sky, "Even the sun is in a different place here." Haya finished her plate and looked at him with humorous eyes, but refrained from saying anything. King Kuei stood up and smiled at the crowd.

"Before we move to conference rooms to begin our debating I would like the leaders of each nation to come up here and say a few words. I'll go first, seeing as I'm already here. I speak for myself and Lady Toph. I just have a strong hope that the Earth Kingdom can be returned to its formal glory and exceed it peacefully. It is my dream that we will have eternal prospering peace for the world."

"He so didn't write that." Yabou said to his plate and received a glare from Haya. Yabou sat back in his chair with a grin and clapped slowing along with everyone else.

"Now I would like to turn the floor to my Water Tribe Leaders, Master Sokka and Lady Katara." The Earth King stepped back and allowed Katara and Sokka to come up onto his podium. Katara smiled and opened her mouth.

"Would you stop staring at her boobs?" Haya said to Yabou quickly. He grinned devilishly. Katara smiled and asked through barred teeth for the Fire Nation representatives to come up.

"We just missed what she said. Come on, we have to go up." Zuko said and moved his chair back. Haya and Yabou followed obediently. The rose up to the podium.

"Thank..." Then something exploded.

* * *

_Haha CLIFFHANGER!  
_

_The next chapter is on its way. I'm currently working on it. It should be up before the weekend ends. It depends on how far out of their sight people let me, since apparently I now need to be yelled at all the time.  
_

_Review?_


	5. Chapter 5

The Great Conference

By: smartcheer917

**Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender. I do not own the Lyrics below either.**

* * *

_I know a place that we can go to  
__A place where no one knows you  
They won't know who we are  
__  
I know a place that we can run to  
__And do those things we want to_  
_They won't know who we are_

Let Me Take You There, The Plain White T's (Every Second Counts)

* * *

It's kind of incredible in the short moments between other moments that important things tend to happen.

Katara instinctively ducked when she heard the explosion. No matter how many times she heard the sound it never ceased to freak her a little. Explosion meant something was blown. It meant death. It meant it was time to fix something. Katara looked around in time to see what appeared to be rebels dressed in purple raiding in though the walls and coming out of everywhere.

"They're like whale-roaches" Sokka said, drawing his swords. Katara summoned the water from the glasses around the room and tossed it at the men who advanced on them. Toph started bending her way around them.

"There's allot." Toph yelled out to the others as they started to get pushed back towards the doors to the inside, where all the people were fleeing from the rebels.

"We can take em'" Sokka yelped as he dodged a sword.

"How many?" Katara called back. Aang wouldn't arrive until tomorrow. This was bad. He wasn't even here and everyone was fighting.

"Allot. More than 500." Toph called.

"Where's Hot-head going?" Sokka snapped and Katara looked over to see Zuko, ushered out by his advisors, heading for the door, "We should follow." Katara felt the hairs on the back of her neck rise slightly and spun around with an ice dagger, ready to cut the fool who thought they could sneak up on her. Instead she was meat with a different kind of fool. She dropped the dagger and back up a couple of steps as a giant earthy fireball fled towards them.

"There aren't enough wine glasses for this." She said and did the only thing she could think of. She ducked.

* * *

When the pain didn't come Katara got suspicious. She kept in her position. Maybe time was just going really slow. Maybe she was thinking really fast. Maybe Earth Kingdom fire was slow. Then some jerked on her shoulder.

"Come with me." The voice commanded. It was familiar, but she couldn't remember who the owner was. Shock, she decided. It's just shock. She peaked an eye up and saw Haya staring down at her expectantly, "We have to go _now_ if we plan on fixing this." She said. Katara blinked and got up.

'Where the fireball go?" She asked,

"Fine. Die if you want. I really don't care at this particular moment in time." Haya said, spinning around and leaving, easily dodging the multiple fights occurring at once.

"Follow her!" Toph yelled, running down. "She's withholding information!"

"Just stop her!" Sokka said

"Can't, too much activity." Toph said and grabbed Sokka's hand, "Lead the way!" She shouted.

So Katara and Sokka ran after the Fire Lord's Advisor.

* * *

The Water Tribe siblings slid around the corner after dodging the purple rebels (really, they didn't seem to even seem to notice them, they were busy with the Dai Lee) to see the Fire Lord's female advisor open the wall and step inside. They followed, sneakily. The door was open, so they walked in and the door shut behind them into darkness. Katara almost screamed when a relatively warm hand slipped over her mouth.

"Don't scream, they'll hear." Haya hissed. Katara froze. From this position Haya could hurt her. And she could feel no water anywhere near herself. The best decision was to give up.

It was quiet for a moment, then Haya released her mouth and grabbed her wrist and pulled her along. Where too Katara could honestly not say.

It was weak to follow obediently. She knew it. She should stay up there and fight for all those people. As Haya's pace slowly came to a stop Katara felt herself suddenly seemingly alone in the dark. Before she could shout out, Haya lit her fingers like a match and sat down. Yabou followed in suit and so did Toph and Sokka, reluctantly. So Katara did as well.

"What we need is a plan." Haya said, "My Lord, please come here." Zuko came forward form behind a corner.

They were sitting in a small underground clearing. With their group of 6 the underground cavern was barely comfortable in distance away from one another. Twisting hallways lead off of the cavern. Katara looked around at the mosaic for spark-rocks that filled the entire ceiling and walls.

"I intercepted a letter yesterday morning." Haya said, sitting down in front of us, "It was meant for you three." Haya pointed at Katara, Sokka, and Toph.

"Uh, blind. Can't see." Oph said.

"Yes, but I assume you know who I'm talking to?"

"Nope."

"Burned." Yabou said and laughed. Haya glared at him and Zuko sat next to her. She reached into the folds of her robe and pulled out a scroll.

"Why would you intercept a letter meant for _us_" Sokka accused.

"Because it was the symbol and the breed of hawk that was used by the rebels that terrorized the Fire Nation and its colonies in the early days. It's been strangely silent."  
"And you didn't trust us to tell you about it?" Sokka snapped, leaning forward.

"They had a habit of putting... _unpleasant..._ things on them. Once they laced razor-sharp lead threads into the ink and sent the hawk on a rainy day. They receivers died within a week of lead poisoning. Sorry to be concerned for your welfare." Haya said and glared, "It's clean, meaning they wanted you alive to continue." She tossed the letter to Sokka. He caught it and opened it. Katara leaned over his shoulder to read it.

_Dear Team Avatar,_

_As a forewarning, we will attack your conference. This world cannot handle peace with beasts such as the Fire Nation. Destroy them or you will be destroyed._

_Pa-Puru Zen_

"Creepy." Sokka said.

"This is a big organization. I've been able to figure out where the base is, by decoding the bird and asking around by the servants. The only way to take it out..." Haya started.

"Is to hit it in the heart." Sokka finished, "And you want to come with us?" The sarcasm was dripping off his face in quantities so large they could be bent into a tsunami.

"Of course. We're all world leaders. It's only right that we all fix this little problem." Haya said, "Even if you refuse us we'll still go. It's just better to move in a pack."  
"Besides," Yabou stepped into the conversation," These rebels have already taken over the governments of some colonial cities." He pulled a roll of papers out of his overcoat and twinkled it, "If anything, it's our problem more than yours." He put the roll back.

"It is our problem." Sokka said, gesturing to his sister and Toph,

"It is our problem." Haya said, swinging her arm to point at everyone. Toph groaned.

"Why don't we just work together? They have as good a reason as any to go. As do we. Lets go together."

"We'll be on the run," Haya said, "Think you're up to it? After all, Myself and such look very much like Fire Nation. They're bound to notice that we're warmer than others. No inns. No bed & breakfasts. Just marketplaces, and only if necessary."

"I'm in roll this party," Sokka said, "Not you."

"Co-partnership. The most important thing is that we move as a group." Haya said and stuck her hand out. Sokka eyed her and took it

"You break a shake-on-it and I _will kill you_." Sokka said and released her hand

"No doubt there," Haya said, "Now we have to get moving."

"200 feet down the left tunnel is a man-hole into the desert." Toph volunteered.

"Useful." Yabou said, grinning like a moron. Haya pulled herself up.

"Right now we have to keep safe and hidden. We're close to a large number of them. We may be outmatched barley, but its still an outmatch. We can't mess with fate. First we'll go to the township of Soto."

"You talk funny." Toph said, "Like multiple accents." Haya didn't answer and the group moved down the hall.

* * *

"We need a secret identity," Sokka said as they slipped though the wood that surrounded the outskirts of Lake Laogai

"I agree." Haya said, "This way it will be more of a surprise to the group. They'll know we're coming,"

"Just not when," Yabou finished and pulled a bramble back to slap Haya in the arm with a grin. She glared a bit. "We should be signing nomads. I mean, who would think a group for singing nomads would attack a rebel organization? And they travel. Allot. So us on the move constantly won't be a problem."

"Oh Gods no," Sokka said, "We met some nomads once. They were insane,"

"Well then you can act like you're regular self," Toph said with a grin. Katara smiled slightly. Zuko hadn't said anything.

"So it's decided," Katara said, "We're all now singing nomads. Awesome."

* * *

_I__ don't like how this turned out. I suck at action._

_The album _Every Second Counts _by_ The Plain White T's_ will really fit the mood of this story. I don't think i cited that correctly. My English teacher will be so dissapointed._

_Eh, oh well._

_Review?_


	6. Chapter 6

_The Great Conference_

_By: smartcheer917_

**Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar the Last Airbender**

* * *

"We need costumes!" Yabou exclaimed as they came to a halt for the night. He made a sweeping motion with his arm.

"I need to train," Haya said, getting up, "I'll see you in a while."

"What kind of girl doesn't like clothing?" Yabou said from his position on the floor in front of a fire. Zuko grinned. His advisors really could be entertaining at times. Yabou must be sensing that he needed the mental laugh. Sometimes that man could be a miracle worker with people and their emotions.

"This kind," Toph said, kicking the dirt, "And do your advisors always act like children, Sparky?"

"No, they are actually very brilliant minds."  
"It speaks!" Sokka said, tossing his hands in the air and taking a leaf with him. It floated back down and caught on his lip. He tried to blow it off unsuccessfully, "Stupid nose," He mumbled. Zuko leaned back against a tree.

"I do agree with Yabou in the fact that we need disguises." He said

"Well where exactly are we supposed to get them from?" Katara pointed out.

"There's a town a few miles over," Yabou said, "We could test our stealth skills and pay them back later. Or we could just kinda... rip up what we have on?" He looked down at the rather nice silk top and trousers that he wore, " I never really liked this shirt anyway."

"What about instruments?" Katara asked, "We can't be singers without instruments."

"We could carve them. They don't have to sound good, singing nomads usually sound terrible. As long as they look the part... we're good." Yabou said.

"I'm not wearing flowers!" Sokka yelped,

"Embrace your femininity! It will make you more attractive to women!" Yabou yelled Zuko covered his face with his hands.

"Yabou, stop being embarrassing."

"My lord, these people will be around me for the next week. I am not about to pretend to be someone I am clearly not for a week. Pretending for a few hours a day is exasperating enough. I am not trying to contradict your judgement, but am just pointing out that embarrassment is relative."

"Fine. Do what you want. I don't feel like a complete analysis right now." He pushed himself up form his spot and left.

"Where's he going?" Sokka asked,

"To be slapped around by Haya most likely." Yabou lay back on the dirt, "Ah, filth. How you've eluded me."

"That guy is a freak." Katara whispered to Toph

"He's just being himself. Give him that much credit."

"Look at you with your trusting people." Katara nudged her

"He has given me no reason to not trust him."

"What about the fact that..."  
"You're being racist?" Toph said, sitting up and looking at him, "What if I refused to be friends with you because you're a poor nation? Or if someone refused to be friends with me because I play in the dirt?" Sokka grabbed his head,

"That is ridiculous! The Water Tribe isn't poor!"

"In pure terms of advancements, yes it is Sokka." Toph pointed out, "The Fire Nation has steam boats, has for centuries. Omashu has the intricate mail carrying system. You have a series of canals, controlled by bending."  
"What's your point? Those things are amazing, and protective!" Sokka said, pointing a the sky.

"We don't rely on our benders as a way of life, that's the point." Toph snapped off,

'Why are you defending them?" Sokka asked, "Don't you remember..."

"Everything? Yes. But people deserve second chances and not everyone fits the stereotype. Am I a stereotypical blind girl? Is Katara a stereotypical female waterbender?" Toph said, still unmoving from her place propped up against a tree. Sokka gruffed,

"That's not the point! They've fought. Zuko..."

"Just give up on it already! I don't want to hear you too bicker!" Katara snapped and sat down. Sokka pouted and sat crisscross applesauce on the ground.

"What are we going to do about food?" She asked. The group all looked at each other blankly, except for Yabou who didn't even seem to notice that there was a question on the floor.

"Hey Springy, what are we doing about food?" Toph yelled in Yabou's direction.

"Since I'm guessing that's me, then I don't know. Ask Haya." Yabou grumbled. It was strange. He went from 400 to 0 in a matter of seconds. Katara cocked her eyebrow at him.

He was a strange one. The picture of charm at the conference and in the caverns and now he was ... nothing.

"Well form the vibrations I'm getting I don't exactly want to go over there. Avoid all possibilities of scalded feet again." Toph said smugly. It looked like Yabou shrugged or tried to. Haya came through the brush suddenly and sat down.

"We should set up a camp." She said,

"We don't have _anything_ but the cloths on our backs." Toph stated.

"Then we'll walk through the night to the nearest village. We can remove some of our cloths and... I don't know. This sounded better in my head."  
"It seems like allot of you firebenders act before you think." Sokka snapped.

"Wait! We can pull the clothing tonight, look the part now, and use the leftover cloths for bedding. Someone find firewood. Yabou, go get some rabbit-platypus. I need 2. Look in the dingleberry bushes. My Lord!"  
"We call him Sparky," Toph said,

"Ponytail..." Sokka mumbled. Katara glared at him. Her hate was just as high as his, even more so probably, but she didn't want to hear it. They had to work together for this situation that they were in. She didn't have to like it, but maturity was choosing the harder thing to do that was right and would help people over the easier thing to do that would probably kill allot of people.

Haya's eyebrows collided with clouds at the Sparky comment.

"That is very,"  
"Sparky!" Toph yelped and tossed herself at the figure that emerged from the underbrush and happened to be Zuko. He fell over at the contact. Haya flinched, but didn't move.

Katara studied her. She was an odd woman. She could be any denomination by the shape of her face, but the gold eyes offset any doubt that she was anything other than Fire Nation. Slightly wavy black hair made her a catch, but her stonic glance was enough to scare anyone away. She didn't seem to have a 'soft' look, just a 'I'm angry' look. It was a flashback to when they had first met Zuko all over again. And she was twice as bossy.

She was blanked out of her thoughtful trance as Yabou got up from his position and walked into the forest. She watched as he retreated and decided to asses him as well.

He was obviously from a noble Fire Nation family. Honey colored eyes, straight black hair, and unnaturally pale skin could bring that conclusion. She hadn't bothered with that at first, having only been concerned with the fact that finally a male was paying her attention. Since Aang... she hadn't received any admiration. He was good-looking, well built, and had a superiority that must have come from a private education. He was exactly what was wanted to be an advisor to someone of high power and doubted that anyone different would be chosen for the Water Tribe if it operated on the same terms as the Fire Nation did.

Excluding the fact that he was a firebending bastard, of course.

* * *

Haya always did get Zuko into the most insane situations.

When they were 8, she was invited over for a 'dinner party' between they're two families. He now understood the purpose of that was to draw them closer for the bomb that would be dropped years after her disappearance. It worked, in a way. They were almost instantly friends, both despising the killing of innocents. It was kind of strange how that situation aroused.

The young nobles had been placed outside under a nanny's supervision. The nanny had taken to knitting and the children could do whatever they wished in the vicinity of the gated area. A baby Azula, a smaller but no less evil being, trounced over to an ant farm that had been missed by the ground keepers. She immediately started squashing it, laughing at the ants as they scrambled. Haya looked horrified.

'Princess Azula, that's bad!" Still, the nanny paid no attention. Azula looked up and gave a look of indifference. Instead of reply she marched over to the fountain and took a handful of water, walked over to the ant farm and dumped it. Haya looked even more horrified then before. Azula laughed.

Zuko couldn't stand to see girls cry, even at that age. They were icky and had cooties, but he knew that her crying wouldn't lead to a good conversation with his mother. Awkwardly he had comforted her.

"I don't know how to help them!" She had said, "But I would do anything within my power to!"

Now, she still hadn't changed. Granted she was stonier and more intimidating but she always had the best interest for the people at heart. This situation was like many of the awkward ones she had put him in as a child in her constant pillage for human rights.

Her and the waterbender had that in common. They both loved helping people, even if Haya's way of helping people consisted of ways o fight and win without inflicting and death of permanate damage.

Now, here she went again, on a save the world campaign. It was what had drown her away for years last time. She had merit to back her up now, reasons and a larger group but she was still trying to save the ants. Still trying to help everything along. Protect everything.

This was going to be a long journey.

* * *

She actually managed to get some dinner together. Well, the ingredients, as Katara discovered Haya was not a very good cook, but an amazing botanist. She found a large amount of herbs to spice the platypus-rabbit and it came quite well.

Now the groups sat divided. She wasn't going to mingle. She refused to mingle. The Firebenders made a fire. Yabou was sitting, staring into it almost hopelessly. Zuko sitting against a tree doing nothing and Haya seemed to be deep in thought against a tree near Zuko, Toph was playing with he dirt. Sokka was scowling. She, herself, was trying to roll her cloths right to make a pillow.

This was an increasingly awkward situation. Katara leaned back on her heels.

"Well I'm going to get some sleep," Sokka said, "Katara, keep watch and make sure they don't pull any funny stunts." He flopped back onto his socks and was snoring almost instantly. Toph rolled her eyes.

"Get some sleep Katara. I'll watch if it's a problem." Katara smiled and leaned onto her makeshift pillow.

"You should sleep too Toph." She said drearily. The younger female shrugged and made a stone tent.

* * *

Katara awoke with a start in the middle of the night. That nightmare... those helpless faces... it was horrid. And the worst part was she couldn't even remember what had happened. She got up and sensed a small pond nearby. She pushed herself up and navigated towards where she could feel the water was pooled.

It was a nice little oasis. In the dessert jungle, she knew there had to be a way that it all lived. She suspected underground aquifers were the culprit, and this one must have broken the ground. There was also probably an underground river around here as well. She slipped off her shoes and stepped into the water. It was warm, but very relaxing. She left out a breath.

Imagine her surprise when she heard someone else take a breath to her right.

* * *

_Sorry it took longer than expect. I've got excuses, but excuses are just excuses and are meaningless. I will try to get the next chapter up soon, but I've got a really big trip coming up and I've been practicing my brain out and need to continue until I go so I can't make any promises until I get back._

_So Toph is sticking up for the firebenders because she liked Iroh. And I just have a notion that Toph and Zuko would get along because they both have that stubborn personality, even if she is extremely blunt and he is extremely private. And they have that mutual love of Iroh. Plus I don't think Zuko would ever treat her different because she if blind, as he knows what its like to be looked down upon with pity because of something purely physical. So I think that she would like him and therefore, stick up for him._

_Oh, and for those of you who haven't, go read Looking For Alaska by John Green. It's on of the most amazing books I've ever read, coming deathly close to the Twilight series and Confessions of a Wallflower._

_Reviews make me smile and type more per minute._


	7. Chapter 7

_The Great Conference_

_By: smartcheer917_

**Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender**

* * *

Katara spun around to see Yabou sitting on a low branch of a tree a little ways behind her.

"Why are you up?" She asked. He shrugged, "Why are you all zoned out all of a sudden?" He shook his head.

"You wouldn't understand." He said, his voice low.

"Try me," She crossed her arms. This was ridiculous. If he was going to be emo all of a sudden he was going to have to explain. Not because she cared, but because she didn't like that he just did a 180 on his personality. He looked up at the moon,

"The moon is beautiful," he said quietly  
"Yes, that's why we worship it and not a big ball of fiery death," He shook his head,

"I've never seen the moon,"

"What do you mean you've never seen the moon?"

"I mean that, in the Fire Nation, the light pollution is great. At night, most nobles don't leave their homes and venture out into the night. Most of us are asleep by the time it rises. We get up early it's almost necessary. And the streets are lit up constantly, just because they can be and for safety measures. I've seen the moon as a silvery shape in the sky, not as a beautiful disk that conquers the night."

"Have you ever left the capital?" She asked, furred eyebrows. He shook his head.

"No, I've always lived there. I never left. Always had my home. Always had money. Always had a good life. I never dreamed of leaving. Never dreamed that something could possibly be more important that what was going on there until I met the Prince and then I began to study up. I've studied other cultures, but never actually experienced them. This is too real. No money. No true home. It's like living in a scroll. On the run. I don't... how do you do it? How do you just pick up and start anew, having never traveled before?" Katara bit her lip, He was being honest. She didn't need a lie detector to tell her that, her gut did a fine job.

Her gut had been wrong on occasion before. She could go two ways. She could laugh in his face and tell him to deal, or be herself and open up a little. Get along with the opposite element for a certain amount of time.

"When I was 14 and started traveling, I thought the same thing. But I made it though. You've got to pull your own weight and function like a family, or like your maids do. You've got to pull though. You can't just like on the ground and expect it to be done for you." Katara came out of the water and put her shoes on.  
"I wasn't. But I don't know how to do those things. The only reason I can kill small animals is because it was a popular activity back when I was in school and almost everyone learned how to do it." Yabou said, "It just... I don't know. I've never had to adapt to anything. I don't know if I can do it. And I'm a very certain person, so this is a new feeling." He looked down, "I'm being honest with you. I don't know why. I'm usually a very reserved honest but for some reason I feel that I can trust you. And I want you to trust me. I don't want you to hold what other members of my race did against me. I don't want you to hold against me that I like women and am very good at flirting my way into things and out of them. I just... don't want to mess anything up."

"You fear failure, don't you?" She asked, seeing him in a new light. Fear can really change a person.

"Don't we all?" Katara bit her lip,

"We should go to bed. Its late. Yabou shrugged and got up,

"Not a word to this to Haya. I'll never live it down." He said suddenly. Katara grinned.

"Promised."

* * *

Zuko's eyes shot open. He sat up and looked a the treeline.

An hour before sunrise. Perfect, he was right on time. He looked over at Haya. She was sitting up and rubbing her head.

"I haven't slept on the ground in years." She mumbled. Yabou was pushing himself up next to her.

"What's the workout for this morning boss?" He said. He was in a better mood this morning.

"My Lord, are you ready?" Haya looked over at him. He nodded. She got up.

"Time to work out these muscles! We now have a reason to train, not just condition." She actually grinned.

* * *

Katara awoke to the sound of someone hitting a tree. She sat up fast.

"I rock at this!" She heard Toph yell. Katara scrambled to her feet and hurried though a small path that had been made in the plants and saw another small clearing that Toph, Zuko, Yabou and Haya were standing in. Well, Yabou was upside-down against a tree. Zuko was grinning. And Toph looked guilty of being the one who tossed him against the tree.

"Give me 20!" Haya yelled at Yabou, "I can't believe you got beat. You make me look like a kindergarten teacher! Worse even, a gardener!" Yabou looked like he was mumbling something to himself and rolled over onto his fits and got into a pillar position. He lit his hands and pushed up with the Fire, levitating himself with a constant stream of fire. Toph laughed. Suddenly Yabou stopped and flopped down onto the ground.

"Spinners. I want 30." Haya said. She looked up and saw Katara, "Good morning. We're training. Gotta be on our toes. The rebels could come from any angle." Katara nodded.

"I guess we'll all have to join you then."

* * *

They tracked though the wood carefully after they had finished for the morning, headed towards where Haya insisted a town sat.

Zuko could see the members of the avatar's gang were slightly drained. He didn't blame them. Haya was extra focused on arm power and lung-power today. He caught the sounds of the movements in a village nearing and stopped. Everyone looked at him.

"We need to look the part," He said. Haya nodded.

"How about the girls go over here," She pointed to a rather large tree, " And the boys go over there?" She pointed to a large tree in the opposite direction.

"People are too concerned with appearance." Toph said, "What does a singing nomad act like?"

"Like Sokka on cactus juice." Katara stated. Sokka pouted.

"Whatever." He said. The boys parted with the girls and went over to the tree. Yabou stripped off his shirt and tore around the neck a little. He then ripped the sleeves short. He pulled off his socks and removed the buckles form his shoes so that they were barely moccasins. Zuko and Sokka did the same.

"What about hair?" Yabou said,

"Uhh..." Sokka said.

"We can make it look...?" Zuko said and waved his hands around a bit.

"Yeah like...?" Yabou imitated Zuko, "Or maybe we should ask the girls."

"No," Sokka and Zuko said firmly.

"We'll never live it down," Zuko pointed out

"And they'll probably give us flowers." Sokka said, "I do not want bees chasing my head than you."

"The lets just leave it down and... mess it up a bit." Yabou let his hair out of the band that held it back and ruffled it up.

"You look like an elephant-poodle." Sokka said. Zuko grinned.

"Then maybe he should cut it shorter." Zzuko said

"Yes, let's cut his hair!" Sokka sai joyfully. Yabou backed up a bit.

"How about _not,"_

* * *

"Well I think we look okay." Haya said, looking down at herself. The girls had shortened their skirts to the knee and made the fray. The had tied some rope that Haya had on her around their waists to create an almost baggy look. The sleeves went to the elbow, and their hair was down. Katara had left her hair loopies in place, but had also braided a piece on the side. She tucked a flower into it. Haya left her hair down and took two pieces on either side braided them, and the attached them in the back. She also tucked a flower into it. Toph's bun had a crown for flowers surrounding it now in a getup to match the other two girls. The girls heard a scream and looked up from braiding a choker of flowers and long grasses.

"That can't be good." Katara said. Toph fell over laughing almost immediately. Hayay and Katara hurried over to where the boys were to find that Zuko and Sokka had cornered Yabou and managed to cut off half his hair to a short length below his chin. Haya raised her eyebrows and Katara laughed. He looked ridiculous.

"Thanks for the love." Yabou grumbled.

"Just let them cut the other half. And try to make it even." Haya said. Zuko leaned forward and sliced off the other side of Yabou's hair so it was hitting his chin.

"Just leave it alone now, and take the rest of your hair off."

"I will get you back." Yabou said, shaking his fist.

"Just remember who pays you." Zuko said with a grin. Yabou blanked his face and stood up.

"Yes, my lord."

"Can you cut the cheeseing?" Toph snapped, "Sparky is still just Sparky." Yabou put his hands up,

"R-E-S-P-C-T. I tend to rely on it." Yabou stated. Toph shot him up in the air.

"I can still kick your but, so R-E-S-P-C-T that."

"Let's take our R-E-S-P-C-T over to the town now. I'm rally hungry." Sokka moaned.

"Some things never change." Zuko said and the group headed off towards the nearby town.

* * *

As the group walked into the town, Zuko saw some people eyeing him. Hopefully, this village was small enough to believe that he was a traveler that happened to look like the Fire Lord.

And that his traveling mates just also happened to be blind. And include a waterbender, a Water Tribe Warrior and two other respective Fire Nation natives.

In other words, they were probably toast.

* * *

_I'm really really really mad right now at UPS._

_I'm going to go down there and yell. Allot. And I'm loud, so they might have a noise violation coming their way._

_Grrrr._

_I'm leaving Wednesday directly after school, so if nothing is updated on Wednesday morning then don't expect anything until may, seeing as I'll be home Monday at an ungodly hour to be awake and then have a pile of make-work rivaling post WWI debts in Europe. I'm trying to humor this up a bit, lighten up the tension of saving the world. Like in the show._

_There was a bit of Yabou development here, and there is more to come in the next few chapters! His hair is kind of like Sokka's when its down now, only on a slight angle tilted towards the back because its really hard to cut hair straight with a knife and not make a neat little angle._

_Reviews might possibly keep me from killing a brown guy._

_Kidding. I wouldn't kill them. Just yell. Allot._

_But reviews are still highly appreciated._


	8. Chapter 8

_The Great Conference  
_

_By: smartcheer917_

**Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender**

* * *

The town was small, but being so close to such a large city it had to need to be large. It was little more than the fishing village they had visited back in the Fire Nation years ago, with the exception of the fact that this was in the middle of an awkward jungle in a desert. A main street and a web of houses extending to three or four roads on each side of the main street and the town market square in the middle. The outskirts contained nothing and a small but mighty fast creek swam past the edge that they were coming from. The buildings were stone and small. The market place wasn't very busy and venders were just setting.

Katara entered the market with Haya close behind. She could feel the eyes of young males drawn towards her appearance.

"Flaunt it," Haya whispered to her, "Nomads are free with themselves. And it wouldn't hurt to smile." She snapped at Toph.

"Take your own advice. Even without eyesight I can tell you look like a toad." Haya smiled pleasantly.

"We have no money." Sokka said,

"Yes we do," Yabou said, "I always carry some." He pulled out some gold pieces from his pocket, "Just incase."

'Yes, that's why." Haya said and took the money, handing some of it to Katara, "Go and get long lasting food, like jerky and beans. I'll take care of the instruments. I will take Sokka and Toph with me."

"What If I don' want to go with you?" Toph said, crossing her arms.

"I hear you're a lie detector. I need to know if they are lying to me about quality." Haya said, "And I don't know what to say to convince you."  
"You admitting you need me is enough. Come on Snoozles." Toph said and grabbed Sokka's arm leaving Zuko and Yabou alone with Katara.

Yabou rocked back and forth on his heels.

"So... now what?" he said

"Now we go food shopping."

* * *

The small group headed into the marketplace. Zuko looked around nervously, hoping no one would recognize him or his scar. No one appeared to, and this eased his nerves a bit. There was not many people out this early in the morning, but there were enough. Katara headed for a meat stand first.

"I need jerky." She said to the man at the counter. He was obviously infatuated with the sight of her, and yet she didn't seem to notice. This annoyed Zuko, but he didn't know why.

"What kind? We have chicken-pig cow-pig cow-chicken pig-duck chicken-duck..."

"I'll take 3 pounds of the cow-chicken." Katara said. The man nodded and disappeared into the small hut behind him for a second.

"I don't like the looks of that guy," Yabou said, and some shouting was heard as the man came back out,

"They're pulling it in from our other storehouse at the farm. Can you wait a few minutes?" Katara nodded and the man smiled. His teeth were nasty.

"So," He said, leaning forward onto his small counter, "What brings you to town?"

"We're nomads, passing through the area." The mans eyes lit up

"Do you sing?" He asked. Zuko resisted the urge to throw up at the man's horrible flirting skills. It was so bluntly obvious!

"Well we only sing as a group, so I wouldn't be able to tell you meat person." Yabou said, interludeing in their conversation before Katara could answer. She sighed.

"I'm not a meat person." The man said,

"Really, then what kind of person are you?" She asked, going along with Yabou's game/

"Just... a person." The man said. He shrugged, "Your meat is here." Katara smiled and he pulled out the strips and handed them to her wrapped in paper.

"5 coppers," He smiled, "The other half is on me, forest person." Katara grinned and Zuko felt angry. Why should he get her to smile at him? He called her a forest person, like a caveman or a hobo!

"Thank you," She said and handed the man a gold piece. He looked confused, but pocked the money.

"Have a nice day!" He called as they walked away. Zuko stifled glaring, trying to look happy.

It wasn't really working for him.

* * *

It was the same at every vendor. They would flirt with Katara and give her discounts. Or, if they went to a stand where there was a female running it they would ogle at Yabou and give them a discount. It was almost ridiculous. Zuko still fought the urge to scowl as they left the last cart for supplies, the man giving them the stuff on the house.

'So where do we meet the others?" Yabou asked. Katara looked around.

"I guess we find the music store?" Katara said and took off in the direction the others had gone that morning. Yabou and Zuko followed. They wove through the crowd until they saw the other three emerge from a building up ahead.

"Hey guys!" Katara yelled to them and Haya turned. Sokka's arm was full of instruments. Zuko and Yabou ran up to Haya and stood in front of her.

"We have new instruments! Those bandits and they're destroying and taking of our things!"

"The fiends!" Sokka gasped from behind the pile. Haya pulled a stringed instrument and handed it to Katara. Then she grabbed a shaker and handed it to Toph. Zuko got a bamboo flute. Yabou got a smaller version of a Sugi horn on a carrying string so it could be carried over the shoulder. Sokka got what was left, a very small gong and a drum that would rest on his hip.

"Why don't you have one?" Sokka asked, "You picked it."

"She can't play music for anything. It's actually quite funny."

"Then why would you suggest that we play music?"

"I can dance." Haya said, "So the rest of you can play and I will dance." Sokka scowled.

"Why did I get a stringed instrument?" She asked.

"Someone has to sing. And Yabou and Zuko aren't the greatest. Sokka said something about you being a good singing." Katara glared at her brother as Haya spoke.

"Smile!" Yabou said, "I love the sugi horn! It's so ominous, or so joyful."

"How can it be joyful?"

"You play high and accented." Yabou explained. He picked up his horn and did a racing tune.

"Okay," Haya said, "Lets play a sing!"

"Solider boy it is!" Yabou said and started to play. Haya rolled her eyes.

"Just try and play along with us. Or pretend to." Zuko said to Katara. He picked up the flute and accompanied Yabou. Toph slowly started smacking her clapper, making the beat. Sokka joined that beat. Katara started to pluck strings uncertainly and found that certain combinations blended perfectly, it was written all over her face. Zuko turned his eyes away from her. A small crowd started to form and Haya stepped forward and began to dance.

There was no doubt that Haya was a good dancer. It was beautiful and flowing, her only way of being artistic. They style was very much like her fighting style, she very rarely touched the ground with both feet at the same time. Most of the dance was slow spins in the air and one-legged movements. She looked like a flamingo-ostrich. Instead of watching Haya dance, Zuko closed his eyes and felt the music as he played.

Music was always a relief to him. After his scar, he stopped playing. He couldn't listen to the music anymore. It was something from his past that made him happy, and everything that brought happiness wasn't allowed anymore. He dropped them for his goal. Now, he could indulge. At the palace, he never had time to play music or listen to it unless it was at a function. And then he had other things to do, other people to greet and pay attention to.

The other musicals had stopped and Zuko put down his flute. The small audience that had shown up clapped and tossed a couple of copper pieces their way. Haya bowed and so did the rest of the group. As the crowd thinned, one man was left that continued to clap.

"You guys were quite good," The man said. Zuko sized him up. He was dressed in decent green robes, so he was obviously well off. The slight way he was off center suggested he was a swordsman.

"We do our best," Yabou said with a smile. Zuko grinned a small amount.

"Well I was coming to tell you it was going to rain, and that it would be a shame for your instruments to ruin because they got wet. I wanted to offer you a place to stay." The man grinned. Zuko cocked his head to the side.

"Such a very awesome offer," Haya said.

"One we will take!" Sokka said gladly opening his arms, "Lead the way, town person!"

"My name is Tomo," the man said.

"Well, then I will introduce us. This is Flower," She pointed to Katara, "Big," She pointed to Toph, "Bear," She pointed to Sokka, "Scorpian," She pointed to Zuko, "We don't really like his name much and he is a mute so don't try to talk to him. Then there's Turtle," She said pointing to Yabou, "And I am Toad."

"Very nice to meet you all, come and I will show you my home!" Tomo said and gestured that they follow him.

* * *

The house was large.

Not overly so, considering some of the palaces they had visited, but it was still quite large. It was stone, like everything else.

"Why do you build with stone?" Sokka asked, looking up, "Isn't stone like... hot?"

"It's cooler than you might think," Tomo said, "Taro, come out and meet our guests!" The boy from the meat stand appeared and smiled.

"I think I've already met them," He said, looking right at Katara. She smiled slightly, obviously clueless. Zuko shook his head slightly, but continued to give a happy appearance. Toph started to scowl and Zuko kicked her. She kicked back with a rock to his butt. He tightened his smile and muffled to scream. Toph grinned and started to walk forward, as while they had been playing with rocks Tomo had started walking to his house. Zuko walked forward with a small limp.

* * *

"I'm sorry we only have one room open," Tomo said as he walked them to a door, "The rest are in renovation from a bad accident,"

"It's cool," Sokka said and walked in the room. There were 6 mats rolled out and one window on the far side from the door.

"There's a library down the hall if it interests you," Tomo said as he walked off, "Feel free to use it." Once his footsteps were no longer heard Sokka spun around and glared at Haya.

"What is with the names!" he exclaimed quietly

"And why is Sparky mute?" Toph asked, flopping on one of the spreads

"Because he is too recognizable in his tone and is really bad at lying. And the names are to cover up our real names. They're like earthy and stuff." Haya said and walked to the door and looked back at Katara, "Flower, would you like to go to the library with me and search for poems?" Katara sighed and turned,

"I guess," She said and followed Haya out of the room.

* * *

Katara scanned the ends of the scrolls, looking for ones that seemed poetic. Haya was in the next aisle over, doing the same. She heard and shuffle and looked up to see Taro grinning down a her.

"I thought you'd be here," he said, "You look too well read for a hippie."

"Oh?" She said slightly nervous because of how close he was, "Well we do research quite a bit. To find the old forgotten customs and stories, because they are often the best." Taro looked impressed, "For a boy that sells meat you're awfully judgmental." Katara said, looking at him. Taro looked slightly surprised,

"Just curious," he managed to say, or squeak, "Anyway I'm here with my younger sister. She wanted me to find her a bed time scroll. She just returned form a visit with our uncle." Katara nodded.

"Am I in your way?" She asked, and he grinned.

"A little." He said. She stepped back and he pulled a scroll from over where her head had been. He grinned as he unrolled it, the rolled it back up, "Well," he said in a superficial voice, "We must be on our way. Chika!"

"Wait!" A little voice came from the other side, "I want the lady to tell me a story first!"

Katara stifled a giggle.

* * *

_Time to pack._

_Reviews are awesome._


	9. Interlude: 1

_The Great Conference  
_

_Interlude: I  
_

_By: smartcheer917_

**Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar the Last Airbender**

* * *

"He watched as she gracefully, yet fiercely, beat off her captors and released herself. He had been planning to release her, thinking that (as an obvious woman) she would be unable, but she proved herself.

As he watched her sheath her swords and take leave he thought to himself about how he had been kind of lonely, and a partner would make everything much better. Looking up, he found that she was already gone and hurried over the unconscious guards to follow her.

She could sense that someone was behind her, but made no move to turn. Form the light sound of the steps it was not one of the brutes she had successfully taken down, but someone smaller that she could take out in a moments notice if necessary. She grinned behind her mask. How she loved to torment her challengers looking for a surge of male pride before stopping. She heard whoever was following her glide to a stop.

"I know you're there" She said.

"Indeed, I am."

"This is no place for cockiness."

"This is no place for an alone woman."

"Then how did you get out?" The undeniable sound of a lip curl made her grin widen.

"I did not come for an insult trade-off. I came looking for partnership. I am lonely in my travels. If you were to turn around you'd se I am also masked. We can cause twice as much damage to these provinces together." She pondered for a moment. A companion would be... nice. She could have someone to talk to other than the trees.

"Fine." She said and swiveled around to see a mask that was commonly seen next to hers on wanted posters in the provinces, "I agree."

And this was how the tale of the Tobihi and the Gadan came to be intertwined, like their eventual fates."

* * *

_Wooo! I'm about to leave to go party for 5 days straight. This is going to rock.__ and be really hot. i'll probably get burned. whatever. IT WILL BE FUN! I packed a pad of paper for the ride down, so I think I'll have a chance to write. It depends on how insane everyone goes.  
_

_I didn't have time to reply to all of the wonderful reviews I received, so I'm going to say thanks here instead._

_This is not an actual chapter. This is part of the plot, but that will come around and you'll see it later._

_This will be the last update for a while (not long though, I promise!) since when I come back I already known I'm going to have 7 papers to write. Haha, FUN. Have to go. See you all soon. :)_

_Reviews are nice._


	10. Chapter 10

_The Great Conference_

_By: smartcheer917_

**Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar, the Last Airbender. I also do not use the lyrics I have in here.**

* * *

"Mack,"  
"Mack,"

"Mack, Mack"

"MAAAAAAAACK"

"SHUT-UP!"

Katara rolled over in the morning to hear a chorus of screams moving through the room. On one side, Yabou sat with a rooster-pig making 'mack' noise back and forth with it. On the other, Toph sat looking pissed. Katara sat up and rubbed her eyes as Toph glared, then grinned ad smacked Yabou I the butt with a pillar of rock.

"Ha!" she yelled.

"No bending," Haya whispered from her meditative spot over her sleeping roll. It was nearly sunrise. Zuko sat next to her, also in a meditative stance. Sokka looked oblivious to the world around him and snored happily. Yabou glared and turned himself right,

"By my calculations, the family will rise soon. The rain has passed and we can leave today. Prepare to do a farewell song," He made a swooping motion with his arms and fell back onto his roll.

"What songs do we all know?" Katara asked, "I don't know any Fire Nation songs."

"I'm sure you must know _one_," Yabou said from his spot, "How about, My Sunshine?"

"Doesn't ring a bell," Katara said

"Fine," Yabou said, "Then I'll sing it,

You are my sunshine, my only sunshine,

You make me happy when ski..."

"Oh, now I remember!" Katara said, "Yeah, I can play and sing that. It's simple"

"We'll build it up. We'll start with Yabou, the low end, and build up by adding in Sokka, then Toph, then Zuko and then finally you will start. Just go with the flow. You'll know where it goes." Haya said, opening her eyes and stretching out.

"They're coming," Toph said

"Ah," Tomo said form the door, "Good morning to you all!"

"Good morning to you too!" Katara said, getting up, She kicked her brother who snorted and slowly made his way to a sitting position.

"It was a pleasure, really, but we have to get going." Haya said

"Ah, no problem, I shall walk you out." Tomo said. The group rolled up their bags and collected their instruments. They followed Tomo out to a cool breezeway, "This is where we will make out parting," He said and grasped Haya's hand, "To repeat, it was a pleasure." Haya grinned.

"Let us show our gratitude in song," She said and nodded to Yabou. He picked up his sugi horn and started the tune in a high and joyous octave. Sokka added an every-other-beat bang to it on his drum, trying to not look like he didn't know what he was doing. Toph shook her shaker. The Zuko added in himself and played high and mighty. So Katara smiled and lifted her stringed instrument.

"This is inspired by the fact that we got rained in," She grinned wider and started to sing,

You are my sunshine, my only sunshine

you make me happy when skies are gray

you'll never know dear, how much I love you,

please don't take my sunshine away.

You are my sunshine, my only sunshine

you make me happy when skies are gray

you'll never know dear, how much I love you,

please don't take my sunshine away.

I'll always love you and make you happy

if you will only say the same

but if you leave me to love another

you'll regret it all some day

You are my sunshine, my only sunshine

you make me happy, when skies are gray,

you'll never know dear, how much I love you,

please don't take my sunshine away.

You told me once dear you really loved me

that no one else could come between

but now you've left me and love another

you have shattered all my dreams.

You are my sunshine, my only sunshine

you make me happy, when skies are gray,

you'll never know dear, how much I love you,

please don't take my sunshine away." _( Words and Music by Jimmie Davis and Charles Mitchell, recorded in 1931by (Governor) Jimmie Davis)_

Sokka banged his little gong to end the song. The group smiled,

"Wonderful, just wonderful." Tomo said and handed the group a couple of gold coins, "Use the wisely," Haya smiled and everyone thanked him

And they were on their way.

* * *

"So a little history on this area," Yabou said as they walked though the wood again, "I was, coincidentally, studying up on it before we left. I had a feeling I would need to know it. Any who, that was a relatively old village. We're talking first or second avatar old. The funny thing is, the forest is not. The forest is incredibly recent. Like in the years immediately before the war. It actually has a nickname. The Blood Forest, the natives call it. Spooky name for a bunch of brambles, eh?" He jumped off a log.

"Why is it called that?" Sokka asked, almost falling over, I bet it has something to do with you and that's why you looked it up!"

"Actually no. I was trying to find replanting ideas for a barren area that was destroyed in a rebel attack that got out of control. Off to the point, Apparently the town used to be divided between two tribes. They fought constantly. The originally cause of issue was between the original founders, and it was about the way music should be! One side was more liberal the other more conservative.

"See, what happened was the two founders were both musicians, best friends for most of their lives and had traveled together. Back then, travelers stayed with folks that's they came across every 2 weeks or so. That's what made it good that they were differnt, they could meet everyone's likes. If they were lucky they found the startings of what would be a town.

"They apparently even visited Ba-Sing-Se before it was even named that was just 'a small group of paranoid people' as one wrote in a diary. I've forgotten their names, but after they left the town they decided to stop a while out in the middle of what was a desert. They were tired, and they figured if anything when horribly wrong there was a group of people nearby with their ears on everything.

"To their surprise, they found water in the supposedly barren lands! They wasted no time in setting up a stone building, one was an earthbender, that would eventually be the town square. After they had done that, they started plating. They had a very small little grove that would feed them and the animals they managed to get out of the people in pre-Ba-Sing-Se. People would come by and love the idea of nightly music and the town grew. It always stayed small, some people got fed up with all the noise and heat and other didn't like people in the town so they left. Then the debating started. When the town got to be a decent enough size, the conservative player decided that they shouldn't play the more liberal music anymore. He called it devils music. The liberal player got upset and called him closed minded.

From there the town took sides. It wasn't expected to last long, but it lasted generations. Each group of young people would fight until a particularly violent group came about. They gathered their groups and did what no musician ever should, they started to literally fight. I won't go into details, but it was bloody Many of the town's boys died. It was that that pushed the town over the edge and make it's own music and play whatever they each individually felt.

The name Blood Forest is because this was the battle grounds, and up from the blood came a forest. It's rumored that the flag barriers had their pockets stuffed with seeds to munch on when they stopped. The blood wood, a deep red and white lined wood, is also found here and is often used for instruments. After the fighting, the town sprang up a market with the forest and the music kind of died down. But the music shop is there to signify the past."

"You talk too much" Sokka said

"But isn't it interesting? Something that was fought about for hundreds of years was so easily pushed aside and forgotten?" Yabou said. Sokka shrugged.

"I guess that's how people will speak of us someday." Haya said, "As people who fought over what they're grandparents and great-grandparents and they can't even remember the original reason, so instead its just because they are an evil type of people."

* * *

_LETS ALL GATHER 'ROUND IN A CIRCLE AND SINGGGGGG_

_  
FIIIILER CHAPTERRRRRR_

_things will really get moving in the next chapter. Drama is coming,hope they're ready. The history thing will be important._


	11. Chapter 11

_The Great Conference_

_By smartcheer917_

_Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender._

* * *

Katara crinkled her nose as she let the slop she was making for dinner fall back into the pot. It was not supposed to set like that. It must be the dry air. She'd never made this stew in the desert before.

"Hey, I found a cave! We can set up there for the night! It will be cool!" Yabou said, coming tough the bristles. Haya came though behind him looking slightly disoriented for a faint moment.

"There's... holes in the roof on the far inside. If we go in deep enough we can safely have a fire and be unnoticeable."

"What about our charade? Isn't that enough?" Katara glared at her. She was paranoid and crazy.

"Not always. People have ears." Haya said

"So do walls." Katara reminded her. Haya looked slightly surprised, but made no move to make a response.

"Katara one, insane trainer zero" Sokka said. Toph snorted. Yabou smiled

"Ha, you got one-upped by someone other than me, high fives." He said and held his hand out for Katara to slap. She slapped his palm. He was kind of cool. Zuko stumbled though the underbrush.

"I found..." He looked at the group, all looking at him like he was lucid, "I found fruit." He said, "But I kind of ran into a platypus-bear on the way back, and he ate it all,"

"So why did you say you have some?" Sokka shrieked, outraged,

"Are you hurt?" Haya said bluntly, annoyance still in her tone,

"Because there's more, and there might be some closer. He was headed in this direction.

"We should move. You don't want to mess with those things." Katara

"I made it fine," Zuko said

"Chances like that are for people without a cause." Haya said

"Eh, I don't mind." Sokka said, getting up, "It's kind of hot out here, don't you think?"

* * *

The gang moved their group to the cave. The cave was cool, dark, and musty smelling. The walls were marked up over and over again in a nearly unlegible script. The walls were dry but the air was humid. The group walked a good 10 minutes until they came to a place where the ceiling was thin enough with Swiss cheese holes to let light in. Zuko looked around.

"The walls are lead." He murmured. He repeated himself louder.

"So we boil any water before we use it and make sure not to have prolonged skin contact with it." Katara said, "And no bending it," She snapped at Toph

"What? Why?"

"I don't want it to hurt you, bending requires a soul connection with its source."

"She's right," Haya said, dropping some twigs to the ground, "The same way firebenders can't bend when they are intoxicated. They'll feel like they're burning from the inside out."

"I think that might be the fact that they are drunk." Sokka said. Toph snorted,

"Either way, let's not take health chances," Katara said, glaring at her brother. Yabou came in with some bigger sticks and Zuko soon followed with some more. He threw them into the corner.

"For tonight," He said. Yabou followed his example. Haya left and got some vines from off of a tree and set fire to the pile. She sat down and got into a meditative stance.

"You're really bad at meditating," Toph called from her spot of leaning against the wall indifferently, "I can feel your heart pounding in my ears like it has been since you joined us. It's really annoying." Haya simply ignored her. Toph narrowed her eyes. Katara exchanged nervous glances between the two, then looked over at Sokka. As much as she hated firebenders, it would be better not to fight in their group. They had a mission and it had to be completed. Sokka seemed to read her mind for the first time in forever.

"Hey Toph, want to go beat me up?" He said. Katara almost smacked her forehead. She was wrong about the mind reading thing. Toph pushed off the wall.

"Sure, it is how real bending is practiced anyway," Toph said and walked out, "And it's how we get better too." She called over her shoulder. Sokka followed, gulping almost nervously.

"What the heck was that?" Zuko said, slightly annoyed that he just missed some silent transaction.

"That would be a fun fight," Yabou said, "Haya versus Toph. I bet they would both kill each other simultaneously."

"You are horrible," Katara said, "talking about that like it's nothing, that's not right. This is the man you ask to help you run your country? He just wants seems to want bloodshed," Katara said

"I was complementing them both. They're equally matched and wouldn't stop until ti was over. You know that, I just said it." Yabou snapped. Haya got up and silently left.

"Where are you going?' Zuko asked, alarmed. She didn't answer

"I don't like this new mime Haya." Yabou said, getting up to follow her like the others did.

* * *

Haya stormed outside.

"Ah," Toph said, turning, "Come to prove that I'm a better fighter?" Haya skimmed right past her. Toph ground her teeth and shot Sokka up into the air. She then shot a move towards Haya. Haya jumped up at the last minute and hoped off, down to the ground.

"Toph!" Katara snapped, "Let's not fight!"

"She needs an attitude adjustment. She doesn't know everything." Toph snapped.

"I think I'll go talk to her. See what's wrong, "Katara said, "After all, she only has you two and I can't imagine that that could bring any comfort."

"Hey!" Zuko and Yabou said as Katara went in the direction that Haya disappeared off to.

* * *

Katara followed Haya all the way down to what appeared to be a very small (she could have crossed it in a few steps) natural pond. Haya pulled her outer cloths off with ease and walked into the water, marching into the deepest part that came to her waist and then just standing there. Katara nervously approached her.

"Haya?" She said,

"No, Ozai." Haya spoke the name with an ease that most people still could not, "I just grew a little on some extra places."

"Who knew you had a sense of humor." Katara said. She was trying to help her and she was acting like a brat in return?

"Who knew?" Haya said unmoving

"What is your problem? You storm out unexpectedly. You drag us all around in circles for your workouts. Why are you so high and mighty?"

"Something bad is coming," Haya said, she turned to face Katara, "Can you feel it? It's in the winds. It's in the trees. Tonight is going to be bad."

"Don't change the subject!" Katara snapped, "Answer my question!" Haya walked towards Katara, the droplets evaporating off of her skin, until she was almost face to face with the waterbender.

"This is me." She said, the turned and replaced her clothing

"That's a bad answers." Katara said

"Well I don't exactly care how well you think of my answers, at least from the description of myself I received from you." Haya stalked off.

* * *

Katara punched her pillow and flopped her head on it. Why did people have to make so much tension? Toph was sleeping on the other side of the fire with Yabou and Sokka, staying away form Haya. Haya was on the other side of Zuko, who was next to her. She closed her eyes and attempted to sleep.

The cave was echo prone and every move someone made was heard. Everytime Sokka shifted she could hear it. She heard someone rise from his or her bed and start walking.

Then the world started shaking.

Katara bolted upright at this, trying to stay steady unsuccessfully. The fire went out the firebenders lit their hands. Haya was on the floor a few yards behind her Zuko grabbed her and dragged her back a couple of yards as pieces of the ceiling started falling. Katara watched as her brother disappeared behind the wall of falling lead. It was all over in a few seconds.

"Sokka!" She yelled

"Katara!" Toph yelled, "We'll find a way to you, don't... don't worry!"

"Katara! My Lord! Listen to me, this cave is made of multiple tunnels that only take 1, 3 day's tops to explore. They all have only one entrance and exit. Find your way out, we'll meet you there!" Katara turned and looked at the floor.

"You an release my arm now, Zuko." She said. Zuko released her, then looked back at Haya. He ran to her side and shook her. She slapped his hand away and sat up

"Damn winds are never wrong." She muttered.

* * *

"This isn;t good." Sokka said as he stared at the rock wall.

"I can clear this up no problem." Toph said.

"No!" Sokka said and picked her up, "We don't even have Katara any more to fix you if you do get poisoning. No bending." He said as she squirmed around in his grasp.

"I'm not a child! Put me down!"

"No bending!" Sokka snapped.

"Hey guys, there's a tunnel about 30 paces back. Let's try that." Yabou said, his usual chipper demur down a couple of paces and a sorrowful note in his voice. He didn't wait for a response and turned around. Sokka put Toph down and ran after him, he did have the light after all. Yabou ran into the tunnel

"What's the rush!" Sokka called to him as he chased after the other man through the tunnel

"No hurry!" Yabou said, his voice now tension filled

"Then stop running." Toph yelled form the back. Yabou stopped and waited for the others to catch up.

"There's an exit up ahead. We walk until a fork then take the left and we'll be outside."

"Let's hope the other group the best." Sokka said, "I hope Katara is okay."

"I hope Ha... The Fire Lord is okay." Yabou said, then started walking again.

"Let's get out of here." He said.

* * *

_Sorry, I was in the hospital (not fun) for a while and I had some big exams for this random program I'm taking, a concert and all kinds of fun crap... the good news is I have this week then finals and I'm done! Yay! That means more time for writing!_

_Does anybody think Haya is being too Mary-sue-ish? She has allot of flaws that will come out soon... but I was just wondering if I overdid her airs a bit.  
_

_Review?_

* * *


	12. Chapter 12

_The Great Conference_

_by: smartcheer917_

**Disclaimer: I don't own avatar: The Last Airbender**

* * *

"This is wonderful," Katara mumbled, sitting back on her heals, "I'm stuck in a cave, again."

"Again?" Zuko asked, "There was a first time?"

"Once, back with Aang. Before we saw Omashu and met your insane ex." Katara said smugly. Haya started walking into the caves, a fire lit in her hand.

"Oh come on. I was a teenager."

"Yeah, but even as teenagers we were pretty well occupied with being mature adults with saving, or in your case destroying, the hope of the world."

"I got it right eventually!"

"Eventually is the key word there."

"Where's Haya?" Zuko said, changing the subject. Katara looked around and saw the faint light of her fire up ahead.

"She left without us. Let's go and get her." She said and got up, walking towards the light.

"Haya?" She said as she walked forward. She could hear Zuko not far behind her. The two came to a halt when they saw why Haya had stopped where she had.

* * *

"I'm... in a caaaave, and I'm wallllking. I can't bend a thhinng. I'm a bump on Sokka's heeeead." Toph sang as they walked through the cave.

"I'm in a caaaave, and I'm holding up this fire for a ridiculously long amount of tiimmmee," Yabou sang as she stopped.

"Feel free to stop whenever you like," Toph said, "It won't bother me."

"But it will bother me!" Sokka snapped, "So keep it burning sunny boy."

"Hey, you're not allowed to give out nicknames Sokka," Toph said, "That's my turf. You don't see me attempting to be funny."

"Hardy har har," Sokka sarcastically said.

"So does the mighty Team Avatar have a battle plan? For once we arrive at the base?" Yabou asked.

"At least we tried to end the war. I don't hear any was stories about what you were doing then." Sokka said/

"I was busy trying to get a wife and get a seat in any court." Yabou said proudly.

"What poor woman married you?" Sokka snickered at Toph question.

"None, I'm still looking, but I do have this amazing position with great benefits as the Fire Lord's right hand man, after his uncle. So I don't see you with anything, so ha."

"Yeah, I saved the world and get free anything in most villages. I win!" Sokka said, jumping up.

"This is boring," Toph grumbled.

"It shouldn't be long before we get out." Yabou said, "I can feel that amazing sun just out of my reach."

"I can't sense the end of the caves," Toph said, "And we have to wait for the others once we get out."

"They shouldn't be too long. Haya is fast." Yabou said

"You know you tend to talk about Haya a lot," Sokka said, "Are you two unofficially together or something?"

* * *

In front of Haya sat a sleeping beast.

The fangs on the creature were the entire length of its muzzle. The jaw jutted out far enough for it to fit Appa in its mouth if it tried. The beast was larger than 2 Appas. It was brown and black, to blend in with the cave walls. It's silent snores and smell-less aurora was enough to make it creepier than any other beast that they had encountered. Zuko walked up to be next to Haya and Katara followed. The beast was blocking the exit.

"We could set it on fire," Haya said quietly to the two.

"That would just piss it off," Katara said.  
"Katara could bloodbend it." Zuko said. She shook her head.

"The full moon passed." She said

"Not entirely bend it, just its legs. Can't you just grab part of it?" Zuko said.

"I could try," She said and took a deep breath, raising her arms.

The beacon of control gave way to a smile on Katara's face as she felt the blood in the legs of the creature come to her command. She slowly made it stand up, and it miraculously stayed asleep. Haya shot forward and slid across the ground under the beast's legs to the other side. Zuko followed her, and then Katara slowly walked underneath the creature, keeping her control solid as she went, and made her way to the other side, bumping into Zuko as she made it into the cave.

"Hey!" she snapped and released her control for a moment. The creature snuffed, then opened its eyes and growled.

"Shit! Run!" Haya yelled and turned and bolted in the direction of the exit. Katara high tailed it out, no where near as fast as Haya but close enough to be only a couple of feet behind Zuko. She could hear the creature as its paw steps echoed off of the cave wall. She wondered how it even fit in the caves. She heard a snarl behind her and was suddenly in the air as the beast had grabbed a part of her dress that had been loose. She screamed as she felt herself tossed in the air and felt the heat coming near as gravity did its thing.

* * *

Sokka looked at Yabou with amused raised eyebrows while the faint noise of a scream was heard in the background.

"Of course not," The diplomat said, "That would be unprofessional. Especially when I was having a wonderful time flirting with your sister the other night," He ended with a smirk as Sokka's face broke out into frustration.

"You did what?!" He yelled and lunged at the firebender.

"Hey, do you hear that screaming?" Toph said.

"It's probably just bats," Yabou said from his spot where he was attempting to keep Sokka from killing him.

* * *

_So this time I have an actual explanation and am going to take the time to write it out for anyone that wants it. The only story-pertaining part is at the end.._

_So for my music class, I had to do a duet, right? Easy enough. Well my partner dumped me, so I had to learn a whole new piece and that took A LOT of work because was with an upperclassman. Then, THAT partner dumped me to and I had to go back to my old partner and use my amazing debating skills to get him to take me back. So then I had to practice with him and make sure we had the piece right. Then someone decided that for our study group for our math final I would be the perfect person to organize it and got stuck with the duty and I'm too nice a person to say no. Then I had my random exams, time trials (I was head timer for anyone who knows what that means) and finally, a swim meet where I was pretty much running in circles for 3 hours straight in the heat and jeans. Oh, and I'm the unofficial babysitter of my siblings (there are quite a few) during every day and get to take them up to our neighborhood pool and make sure they don't kill anyone or die._

_So anytime was I was not doing any that, I was attempting to catch up on my sleeping._

_But, now I'm done everything and the only thing is my unofficial babysitting and swim meets because my idiot father signed me up to do stuff. Wee. _

_Next chapter is laid out and should be up soon, most likely Wednesday night or early tomorrow, as tomorrow is my best friends birthday so I'm gonna call her at midnight and sing to her in a very very out of tune and embarrassing loud voice.  
_

_Reveiw?_


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